The Violin Channel recently caught up with violist and respected pedagogue Victoria Chiang, from the Peabody Institute, in Baltimore and the Aspen Music Festival & School – where she discussed the 5 essential skills for ensuring efficient practice.

“I think about it a lot in my own playing, and I talk to my students about it quite a bit, and over the years I keep coming back to 5 things,” Ms Chiang has told VC.

Practicing efficiently is one of the most important skills that we as musicians can have.

I think about it a lot in my own playing, and I talk to my students about it quite a bit, and over the years I keep coming back to 5 things that I would like to share with you:

1. Slow down – patience is so important – don’t rush yourself. Take the time that you need to think and process what it is you have to do.

2. Practice your problem spots – resist that urge to run repertoire and zero in on what it is that really needs to be practiced.

3. Take the time to break down a problem to one fundamental issue – whether it’s breathing, or connecting a shift between 2 notes, master that skill – and then from there build.

4. Practice slowly and musically – allow yourself to hear more and be aware of several things at once in a musical context. Gradually then you can speed up the tempo.

5. And finally, and most importantly, be positive – trust yourself and believe in yourself – your attitude is so important to having a really productive practice”

Victoria Chiang has performed extensively as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician across North America, Europe and Asia. A student of Heidi Castleman, Masao Kawasaki, Dorothy DeLay and Kurt Sassmannshaus, Ms Chiang currently serves on faculty at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, in Baltimore and the Aspen Music Festival and School – and is a founding member of the internationally acclaimed Aspen String Trio.